Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office Launches an Anonymous Tip Line

More often than not, a crime might go unreported for fear of retaliation, especially for witnesses to those crimes. That is the primary reason behind the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor's Office launching the 'We Tip' tip line, which is completely anonymous. Calling We Tip at 1-800-78-CRIME will connect callers directly to an operator that is available 24/7 and the only rule is that the caller CANNOT give their name or any other identifying characteristic that could lead to their identity. In fact, if you give your name, the operators will tell you to call back without using your name and they will hang up.

Callers will answer a series of questions designed to get as much relevant information as possible. The operator will also ask about your interest in the possibility of receiving a reward for your information, in which case you will be given a three part code name that will be specific to you.

That code name not only makes you eligible for any rewards, but also allows you to call back with additional information without having to go through another series of questions. We Tip will offer rewards from $20-$1000 depending on the seriousness of the crime and how successful the prosecution process is for that particular crime.

Vanderburgh County Prosecutor Nick Hermann says, "Citizens are sometimes reluctant to report crime for fear of retaliation. Through use of this anonymous tip line, citizens can take an active role in protecting their neighborhoods from those who break the law and endanger those around them".

Evansville Police Chief Billy Bolin said, "The number one thing we have heard with our own tip line is that people are afraid to call it because they are afraid to call the police directly". Bolin also stresses the importance of still calling 911 if you are watching a crime in progress. "We Tip is a tip line, not an emergency service", Bolin added.

Hermann's office will also launch a program to get this number into as many homes as possible by passing out window static stickers and refrigerator magnets to start. The idea is to make people feel comfortable and safe when reporting crucial information about crime and We Tip provides that. 1-800-78-CRIME